Stowaway Kitten Travels 2,000 mi. From Turkey to England

A six-week-old kitten survived an approximate 2,000 mile, nine-day journey as an unofficial passenger in a delivery trailer traveling from Ankara via Istanbul in Turkey to Dartford, Kent in England. Cats Protection’s Croydon branch has stepped in with plans to rehome the feline stowaway after her stint in quarantine. They are now launching an urgent public appeal for funds to help pay for her quarantine costs.

The cat, named ‘Yonda’ by Cats Protection, was only discovered after staff at freight and logistics company Davies Turner unloaded the trailer at their depot in Dartford. Amongst the cargo they found two kittens – one of whom was seriously unwell and, sadly, died that night. The other kitten, Yonda, was sent to the Animal Inn near Deal for her obligatory six-month quarantine. Staff at Davies Turner contacted friends at Cats Protection’s Croydon Branch who agreed to take in Yonda after quarantine.

Heather McCann, of Cats Protection’s Croydon Branch, said, “Yonda has had quite a journey! She was apparently very timid and frightened at first but thanks to the vigilance and kindness of everyone at Davies Turner, she is now doing well in the comfort of the Animal Inn. We can only imagine she jumped into the trailer to find somewhere warm to sleep – I’m sure she never expected to wake up in England!

“We’re now appealing to the public for funds to help pay the remainder of Yonda’s quarantine fees, and the costs involved in looking after her at Cats Protection while we seek to find her a loving new home.”

Davies Turner contributed over £230 (raised through a staff ‘dress down day’), and Ekol, the Turkish company who own the trailer, contributed £385 towards the cost of Yonda’s quarantine care. Cats Protection is accepting funds to pay the remaining fees and costs of rehoming. Any funds raised in excess of Yonda’s costs will be used to help other cats at Cats Protection’s Croydon branch. Yonda will not be available for adoption until after the end of her six-month quarantine period.